Callum Mayes Rewarded for Bravery

Wednesday 10th September 2014

SLC Motor Vehicle student, 16 year old Callum Mayes, is to receive an award for bravery from Prince Harry at a special star-studded event in London later this month. A truly deserved award for an inspirational student. Well done Callum!

A teenager from Leicester who had his leg amputated last year is among those who have clinched a national award for their courage.

Callum Mayes, 16, from Aylestone, was told by doctors treating his ulcerated leg that there was nothing more they could do. They said the best way forward would be to amputate his lower leg to ease the extreme pain he was suffering.

Now his positive attitude and bravery have won him a national WellChild award in the inspirational young person category. Callum will attend a star-studded ceremony in London at the end of this month when among others he is expected to meet Prince Harry - a patron of the WellChild children’s charity.

Callum said: “I have my good days and bad days and I’m not going to pretend it hasn’t been tough but sometimes I just say to myself, I can get through this and try to be as positive as I can be.”

He added: “I couldn’t have done it without my family.

"I’m really excited about the award ceremony and hopefully I’ll get to meet some celebrities.”

Callum dealt with his condition by joking with his parents that there would be less of him to wash and has worked hard following the operation to recover. He also had to learn to walk using a prosthetic leg so that he could resume his car mechanics studies at South Leicestershire College and attend Air Cadets again.

He was nominated by two of his nurses, Rosemary Johnson and Rachel Sheard.

Rachel said “I can’t praise him enough. He’s remained positive even during the darkest moments and has smiled and joked throughout. Callum has shown wisdom beyond his years.”